A ton, a hat-trick and a much-needed win before sign-off

A century, two fiery five-wicket hauls—one featuring a hat-trick, the other wrapped up in just 18 balls—and a long-awaited ODI win: Friday's clash between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Colombo delivered unexpected fireworks despite being a dead rubber. South Africa’s performance had been underwhelming in the tri-series, with their 76-run triumph over Sri Lanka marking their sole win from four matches. The final was already set—India versus the hosts—regardless of Friday’s outcome. Still, Annerie Dercksen’s 104 off 84 balls and Chloe Tryon’s all-round brilliance—74 off 51 and 5 for 34 including a hat-trick—offered redemption for a team that had wrestled with Colombo’s brutal climate as much as with their own form. The innings began steadily, with Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits putting on 68 off 82. But a sharp low catch by Hasini Perera at first slip dismissed Brits, triggering a dramatic collapse. South Africa lost five wickets for just 17 runs. Sri Lanka’s teenage off-spinner Dewmi Vihanga tore through the batting, collecting 5 for 43. Between her first and fifth wicket, she gave up just four runs, and South Africa were reeling at 85 for 5. Dercksen helped stabilize the innings with Nondumiso Shangase, the pair adding 42 off 57 before Tryon joined Dercksen for a 112-run stand in 88 deliveries. Then Tryon and Nadine de Klerk piled on 66 in just 30 balls to push the total further. Dercksen reached her hundred with a six over long-off in the 43rd over, later admitting she hadn’t been thinking about a century: “I was just trying to bat deep. Then I looked up, realized I was close, and it just happened.” She was dismissed soon after, but South Africa had the momentum. They smashed 76 runs in the final 38 balls to end on 315 for 9. Sri Lanka’s chase had its moments—solid partnerships between Perera and Vishmi Gunaratne (52 off 56) and between Harshitha Samarawickrama and Chamari Athapaththu (56 off 71) gave them a shot. But once Ayabonga Khaka dismissed Athapaththu and Nilakshika Silva in quick succession, the wheels came off. Tryon returned to snatch a hat-trick, sealing Sri Lanka’s fate. Her memorable moment? A blur. “It was all a bit of a blur, honestly,” she said via a team-released audio clip. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 239 in 42.5 overs. It may not change the tournament standings, but for the South Africans, it offered much-needed consolation—and perhaps relief at the prospect of returning to cooler weather back home. Tryon summed it up best: “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”